On sultry summer evenings, when the craving for seafood strikes, but I'm more interested in relaxing than dressing up or driving half-way across the state, I'm always pleased to know that Chelos is around the corner.

Chelos On the Bay in Warwick, and in fact the entire Rhode Island based Chelos chain of restaurants, holds a special place in my heart. Here we have a place that's not "too". It's not too expensive. It's not too fancy. It's not too casual. It's not too quiet or too noisy. If I were Goldilocks, I'd say it was "Just right".

Summer weekend evenings can be a bit crowded, but then most of the diners come for the upstairs bar and live music, too, so the crowds can be energizing rather than draining. And for those who prefer a bit of quiet reflection before dinner, a stroll along the waterfront of Greenwich Bay can occupy the time while waiting for the electronic pagers to let them know that their table is ready.

The Chelos chain has been undertaking menu standardization and has even been making the insides of the restaurants look more like the expected Ruby Tuesday / TGIFriday's yuppie fun restaurants, but the Chelos On The Bay seems to be resisting that effort, maintaining its decor and seafood dishes in a glorious act of defiance and individuality.

When you come in the door, look to the left for the trophies for their chowder. Upstairs is the main bar. Main dining area ahead and to the left. Service is generally excellent with very friendly staff, who seem to know that this restaurant is special.

I'd love to say that the food is spectacular, but it's not. It's good. Really good. Spectacular usually comes with a hefty pricetag and a snooty atmosphere, which I'm usually happy not to have to put up with. Instead, I have a restarant with food that I'm happy to eat, at a place I enjoy coming to, and at prices I can afford.

Lunch might be a lobster roll, with a third of a pound of fresh lobster meat on a torpedo roll, or maybe a chicken caeser salad. But where I normally recommend going to fancy snooty expensive restaurants at lunch, I really prefer dinner at Chelos on the Bay.

Seafood Pasta

Pay special attention to the specials board, since that's where the restaurant's chef can depart the most from the standard menu and let his creativity reign. Then, since it's on the bay, go for their seafood chowder, order their catch of the day or maybe a seafood pasta, and take the time to really enjoy the food. If the weather's right, eat outside, perhaps on the upstairs deck.

It's a great place for a casual business dinner or a place to eat while you listen to live music on the weekends. You can find Chelos between East Greenwich and Apanaug village in Warwick, just off Post Road on Greenwich Bay. They may have seasonal hours, so call ahead during the winter to make sure that you can eat there.

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